Sleepless in New York
by maria-fall
Summary: Quinn, Santana, and Brittany get intimate while participating in a Glee competition in New York.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I changed much of the storyline of Glee here. To be honest I didn't catch the show until later on. In this alternate story line Quinn doesn't get pregnant and has other reasons for joining the New Directions and Santana has discovered her attraction to Brittany much earlier. Warning: there is a heavy Quinn/Santana/Brittany pairing later on even though it doesn't seem to be in the first few chapters. Enjoy.

Prologue

_'Forever, forever,  
You'll stay in my heart and I will love you  
Forever, and ever,  
We never will part, oh how I love you  
Together, together,  
That's how it must be to live without you  
Would only mean heartbreak for me'_

(A/N: I don't own I say a Little Prayer or any of the characters or Glee for that matter)

Will Schuester stood up and applauded the three cheerleaders' performance. "Welcome to the New Directions girls."

…

Several weeks later…

Mr. Schuester waited patiently outside the bus for everyone else to arrive. Kurt was the only one on time. Will nervously glanced at his watch; it was already after nine in the morning.

The bus driver sat up from the driver's seat and stretched. "How many are we waiting for?"

"Five." Will replied. "Here comes Rachel and Finn now."

Both Rachel and Finn ran straight to the bus with their suitcases. Rachel seemed embarrassed for their tardiness.

Will just shook his head. "I won't even ask."

"Sorry we're late." Finn replied.

Will helped Finn place the luggage into the overhead compartment. "Don't worry about it. We're still waiting on the others."

Rachel rolled her eyes without saying one word. Both Will and Finn knew what she was thinking. That Quinn, Santana and Brittany or the unholy trio as they were otherwise known should have never been chosen to participate in the Glee SDG (Singles, Duets, and Groups) competition which was being held in New York this year.

Each participating school could enter one act for each category. Mr. Schuester had picked Kurt to participate in the singles category and Rachel and Finn for the duet category due to their immediate chemistry. No one would have ever guessed that Mr. Schuester would pick the former Cheerios to represent McKinnley in the group portion of the competition.

Then again, many would have never imagined that the McKinley's social hierarchy would have drastically changed within a few weeks. Upon joining the Glee Club Finn and Rachel immediately hit it off and soon became an item. Finn had broken up with Quinn shortly after. Mr. Schuester assumed Quinn had originally tried out with the New Directions in a desperate attempt to win Finn back. However Quinn's dedication to the club had slowly changed his mind. Rachel and Finn weren't as easily convinced however.

Dr. Lopez's BMW pulled up right in front of the charter bus, Quinn, Santana and Brittany got out the car. The girls grabbed their luggage from the trunk. Dr. Lopez wished his daughter good luck before driving off.

Mr. Schuester greeted the ex-Cheerios. Immediately Quinn apologized for their tardiness. Taken aback by Quinn's new found responsibility, Will assured the girls that it was alright.

Will helped the three with their bags before informing the bus driver that they were ready to leave. He watched as Quinn, Santana and Brittany headed towards the back of the bus ignoring Rachel, Finn and Kurt as they made their way past them. Even though the past months had seen the trio humbled in more ways than one, the three girls continued their façade as the unholy trio. In a way he felt sorry for the three former cheerleaders even though they had made some of his student's lives a living hell early that year.

When Finn had broken up with Quinn she almost immediately became known as the girl who got dumped which caused her to lose her popularity. Soon Sue had given the three girls an ultimatum, quit the Glee club or forfeit their positions on the Cheerios. Surprisingly the girls quit the cheerleading team which furthered their decent down the school's hierarchy. It almost seemed Karma was catching up with the three.

The bus pulled out of the parking lot. For the next ten hours the entire bus was silent. Rachel, Finn, Kurt and even Will almost seemed apprehensive; fearful that Quinn would cause some sort of havoc for the upcoming weekend. Eventually Will broke the silence and made conversation with Rachel and Finn. He even joked with Finn if he would pop the question to Rachel after college.

In the back Quinn sat silently as she glared at the new couple.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

Thursday night, New York, Embassy Hotel

Mr. Schuester walked over to the front desk. "Excuse me… Miss; I have a reservation for four rooms. It should be under McKinley High."

The desk clerk checked her computer. "Mr. Schuester?"

Will nodded. "Yes."

The clerk smiled and handed Will some forms to sign. "Your rooms are on the top floor."

"Excuse me… you don't have anything on the ground floor?" Will asked. Unknown to most people, Mr. Schuester had a fear of elevators due to being stuck on one when he was younger. Stairs were out of the question due to a knee injury he suffered weeks ago.

The desk clerk glanced at her computer again. "Mmmmm… Well I do have one room available." The clerk smiled at Will making eye contact with him. "I can easily switch the rooms."

Will debated whether he should take the room since it meant his students would be completely unsupervised. But then again when did he ever follow guidelines. Will decided to take the clerk up on her offer. "Thank you."

The desk clerk handed Will four keycards. Will thanked the young woman again before rejoining his students in the front lobby. While checking in Will thought about rooming arrangements and who he should pair up for the next three days.

The school had allotted only four rooms for the trip. Pairing Finn and Kurt were a given but the four girls were another matter. Pairing Quinn up with Rachel was a definite no given their history. In fact Will had noticed the death glares Quinn had given Rachel and Finn over dinner. Will obviously knew he couldn't pair Rachel with Finn or Kurt. Out of the three girls he figured Brittany would be the lesser evil and more likely to get along with Rachel.

Mr. Schuester assigned the rooms to his students before handing out the keycards. Ironically Santana seemed the most upset with Mr. Schuester's decision to pair Rachel with Brittany while Brittany herself seemed indifferent about the matter. Since it was already close to midnight and everyone was tired from the long trip, Mr. Schuster stood firm with his decision. Everybody headed to their rooms to get some sleep and prepare for tomorrow's competition.

….

The following evening…

Quinn, Santana, and Brittany stood on stage wearing corsets, lingerie, and net and lace stockings that left little to the imagination. The girls were nervous yet ready to perform their number. Will had no idea what the girls had planned for their act; he only knew Principal Figgins would have a conniption fit if he knew Will had allowed his students to perform wearing such risqué clothing.

**Santana & Brittany**

_"Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, flow sister  
Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, go sister"  
_  
**Quinn**

_"He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge  
Strutting her stuff on the street  
She said, "Hello, hey Joe  
You wanna give it a go?"_

**Quinn, Santana, Brittany**  
_"Itchy gitchi yaya dada  
Itchy gitchi yaya hee  
Mocha chocolata yaya  
Creole Lady Marmalade  
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir  
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi"  
_  
**Santana**  
_"He sat in her boudoir while she freshened up  
Boy drank all that magnolia wine  
On her black satin sheets  
Is where he started to freak, yeah"_

**Quinn, Santana, Brittany**  
_"Itchi gitchi yaya dada  
Itchi gitchi yaya hee  
Mocha chocolata ya ya  
Creole Lady Marmalade,  
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir  
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi"  
_  
**Quinn**  
_"Hey, hey, hey  
Touch of her skin feeling silky smooth, oh  
Color of cafe au lait, alright  
Made the savage beast inside  
Roar until he cried"_

**Santana & Brittany**

_"More, more, more"  
_  
**Brittany**  
_"Now he's back home doing nine to five"_

**Santana**

_"Living a gray flannel life"  
_  
**Brittany**  
_"But when he turns off to sleep, memories keep"_

**Quinn, Santana, Brittany**

_"More, more, more  
Itchi gitchi yaya dada  
Itchi gitchi yaya hee  
Mocha chocolata ya ya  
Creole Lady Marmalade"_

"_Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir_  
_Voulez-vous coucher avec moi_  
_Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir_  
_Voulez-vous coucher avec moi_  
_Creole Lady Marmalade_"

(A/N I do not own Lady Marmalade; I could actually see Quinn, Santana, and Brittany doing a cover version. Come on Glee get with the program and make it happen =D)

Quinn, Santana, and Brittany ran off the stage to join the others while awaiting the results of the competition. Will smiled and congratulated the girls on their performance. They had the notes and dance moves down perfectly and could give Christian Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Pink, and Mya a run for their money.

Already Rachel and Finn had won first place in the duet category while Kurt placed second in his respective singles category. Will was confident that they would do a complete sweep this year, placing in the top three for each category which would be a first for McKinley.

The judges quickly handed their scores to the announcer. Everyone listened as the announcer read off the results. Quinn, Santana and Brittany grew apprehensive as third and second place were announced.

"And the first place winner of the Group category… Give it up for McKinley High! The New Directions!"

Santana screamed in Will's ear almost causing his eardrum to shatter as Quinn and Brittany hugged him tightly. Even Rachel, Finn and Kurt joined in the celebration.

Will motioned for the three girls to claim their prize. Quinn, Santana, and Brittany ran back on stage still shocked over their win. The audience gave the girls a loud applause.

The announcer handed Brittany the microphone first. The blonde was completely speechless. Santana grabbed the mike out of Brittany's hand. She muttered some words in Spanish before thanking Mr. Schuester and the glee club. She turned to Brittany and Quinn thanking them for being there for her. With the exception of Rachel, Finn and Kurt no one else had caught Santana's warm smile that was directed right at Brittany. Brittany smiled back which made Santana melt and forget her surroundings and everyone else in the auditorium.

"I told you…" Kurt whispered to Finn. Finn ignored his friend in order to hear the rest of Santana's speech.

Santana soon realized where she was and that everyone was watching her. She muttered another quick thank you before handing the microphone to Quinn.

Quinn was silent for several moments before speaking. "This hasn't been an easy time for me…"

Rachel could have sworn that Quinn had glanced in her direction. She could see a tear run down Quinn's face. Completely choked up, Quinn barely managed to regain her composure before thanking the audience.

…

It was late in the evening by the time the competition concluded. Everyone settled for pizza stopping at a nearby pizzeria near the hotel. Will promised his students that they would have a huge celebratory dinner Sunday. They also had most of the weekend to walk around the city and enjoy themselves before having to go back home Monday.

After dinner everyone headed back to the hotel. Mr. Schuester, Kurt, Brittany, and Santana had already headed back to their respective rooms leaving Rachel and Finn alone in the hallway. Quinn was downstairs calling her parents, assumingly to tell them the news about winning the competition.

Rachel glanced over at Finn. "I need to talk to Quinn."

Finn nodded and wished his girlfriend goodnight before heading back to his room.

Rachel debated what she was going to say to Quinn. She most of all wanted to apologize to Quinn for doubting her devotion to the glee club. Rachel also wanted to apologize about how she doubted Mr. Schuester's decision to have Quinn, Santana and Brittany in the competition as well as allow them to join the New Directions. Most of all Rachel wanted to finally bury the hatchet with Quinn and perhaps finally become friends.

Rachel saw Quinn heading in her direction. It was apparent from her smeared makeup that the taller blonde had been crying. Rachel couldn't imagine what had upset Quinn.

Still unsure of what to say, Rachel approached Quinn. "I'm really happy for you Quinn… You, Brittany and Santana… you really deserved to win."

Quinn smiled. It was the first time Rachel had ever seen the blonde actually genuinely smile. "Thank you Rachel. I'm so happy for you and Finn. You guys were great out there."

Rachel returned Quinn's smile. "I was thinking Quinn… I really want to put everything past us… and maybe…"

Quinn didn't give Rachel anytime to finish her train of thought. She crashed her lips right on the shorter girl's lips. Shocked and taken aback by Quinn's advances, Rachel pushed Quinn away before taking a step back against the wall.

Before Quinn could react to Rachel's rejection, she noticed Santana standing by the doorway to their room. Rachel turned around to find Santana staring daggers right at her.

Rachel was still in disbelief over what had just happened. Santana too was making her nervous and uncomfortable. "I… It's been a long day. We really should get some sleep." Rachel hurried to her room leaving Quinn and Santana all alone in the hallway.

(A/N: this isn't a Quinn/Rachel pairing; Rachel just plays a part along with Finn and Kurt with hooking Quinn, Santana and Brittany up)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Rachel awoke the next morning and groaned when she saw how late in the morning it was. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning in her sleep contemplating what had occurred between her and Quinn.

Rachel sat up and found herself alone in the room. It was probably for the best that she didn't have to deal with Brittany right now. She could only imagine what Quinn had told Santana and Brittany about last night.

Rachel took a shower and headed downstairs to the lobby. Finn and Kurt were sitting by themselves at one of the tables. Finn turned to Rachel. "Hey babe, we missed you at breakfast. I didn't know if you wanted me to wake you."

Rachel sat down next to Finn. "Finn we need to talk."

Kurt stood up ready to leave. "And that's my cue to leave."

Rachel debated whether she should tell Kurt as well. She motioned for him to sit down hoping he could provide some much needed advice.

Finn grew worried; the expression on Rachel's face alerted him of the importance of what she had to tell him. "Rachel, what is it?"

Rachel decided to be upfront with her boyfriend. "Quinn kissed me last night."

Both Finn and Kurt's mouths dropped. "What?"

Rachel told Finn and Kurt about the events of last night. Afterwards the three sat in silence for several minutes.

Kurt was the first to speak. "I didn't see that one coming… Santana was rather obvious but Quinn…"

Finn shook his head. "Those are just rumors about Kurt. There's no proof that…"

Rachel interrupted her boyfriend. "What are you two even talking about?"

Kurt and Finn exchanged glances. Finally Finn spoke. "There's a rumor that Santana got kicked off the Cheerios for…"

Again Rachel interrupted Finn. "Because Coach Sylvester gave Quinn, Santana, and Brittany an ultimatum to quit the glee club."

Finn shrugged. "There's several stories going around with what really happened. You know Sarah Russo right?"

Rachel knew Sarah was the new captain of the Cheerios. "Just a little…"

"Anyways Sarah has been going around and telling everyone that Santana was groping some of the other cheerleaders. Personally I think that's complete bullshit. Some other rumors said Santana and Brittany were going at it behind the bleachers."

Rachel's eyes widened. "You mean Santana and Brittany!"

"There's definitely something going on between those two." Kurt added.

Finn gave his friend a glance to keep quiet. He turned back to Rachel. "I heard from a more reliable source that Sarah's father threatened to cut his funding to the Cheerios unless Santana was off the team."

Kurt gritted his teeth. "That whole family are complete redneck bigots."

Finn nodded in agreement. As bad as Quinn, Santana and Brittany could be at times at least they had standards and there were some lines they refused to cross. Sarah Russo was pure evil who had no qualms about destroying people's lives. Her father was a lawyer who was a known opponent of gay rights. The only reason Sarah had left the New Directions alone was because she was focused on becoming captain of the Cheerios which made Quinn and Santana her primary targets.

Finn continued. "Anyways Coach Sylvester was forced to throw Santana off the team. Quinn and Brittany refused to stay… In fact Quinn gave Sylvester the ultimatum. Either Santana stays on the team or they would both quit. I guess Sarah's father had enough pull that Sylvester was willing to let them go."

Rachel was shocked by the news; she also was impressed that Quinn would stick up for her friend like that even though it wound up costing Quinn her popularity and social status. "That's why Santana was angry with me…"

Finn shrugged. "Maybe…"

Rachel felt her boyfriend wasn't telling her everything. "Finn…"

"Well a few of the rumors Sarah made up involved Santana and Quinn." Finn quickly added. "Again Sarah is a complete lying cunt." Finn realized what he had said. "Sorry I didn't mean to say that."

Finn's eyes met Rachel's. "So Quinn…"

Rachel nodded. "I would have never guessed she would do anything like that."

"I don't know if I'm wrong about this… I never thought about it until now…" Finn shook his head. "Forget it."

Rachel nudged Finn to force him to continue. "It's just that it makes sense putting all the pieces together. Quinn gave you a hard time before because maybe she liked you… maybe she couldn't admit it to herself." Finn reasoned.

Finn added. "I always had this feeling Quinn only dated me to boost her popularity. That celibacy club provided a convenient excuse why we never…" Finn realized what we was about to say out loud. "Never mind I'm just pulling all this out of my head."

Rachel remembered the hell Quinn put her through; still it might make some sense. Maybe Quinn didn't join the New Directions to win Finn back. Rachel pushed the thought out of her mind.

"Maybe you should go and talk to Quinn Rachel." Finn suggested.

Rachel nodded and headed to the elevator.

…

Rachel knocked on Quinn's door. She had no idea what she would say to Quinn or even if Quinn wanted to speak to her. Rachel prayed that Quinn wasn't angry with her. In a way Rachel still wanted to be friends with Quinn. Rachel and the New Directions were the only ones who saw that Quinn as well as Santana and Brittany were really wonderful people once they dropped their rough exteriors.

The door opened. Quinn was standing there still in her sleepwear which consisted of a long t-shirt and shorts. Rachel tried to think of something to say to Quinn. "Umm…"

Quinn tried to smile for Rachel but all she could muster was a slight almost unnoticeable smile. "It's fine Rachel. I should be the one to apologize… I…"

"It's alright Quinn. There's no need to apologize. I won't tell anyone at school… well I had to tell Finn because he's my boyfriend and he should know…"

Quinn motioned for Rachel to come into the room. Rachel seemed apprehensive. Quinn assured her nothing would happen. Quinn sat on the bed urging Rachel to join her. Rachel sat on the edge making sure there was enough distance between the two.

"I'm sorry again Rach… It was all a mistake…"

"It's alright Quinn…"

"No... No it's not! Let me finish." Quinn shouted. Rachel was taken aback by Quinn's sudden outburst.

Quinn stood up and paced back and forth. Suddenly she blurted out, "My life is completely fucked!"

Quinn sat down back on the bed clutching her knees to her chest; tears streamed down her face. "My parents ignore me; I'm not their trophy daughter anymore since I'm off the cheerleading team. I'm a complete loser at school. I used to be popular… I dated Finn Hudson the school quarterback!" Quinn cried. "Who am I kidding it was all a lie!"

Rachel didn't know what to say. "What was a lie Quinn?"

"I only dated Finn to make my parents happy…" Quinn sobbed. She looked up at Rachel. "I never loved him… hell I never even liked him."

"I'm not strong like you Rachel… I can't be who I really am." Quinn confessed.

Rachel decided to press further to get Quinn to open up more. "Who are you really?"

Quinn didn't even have to say anything to Rachel; Rachel could read the girl's thoughts completely.

Quinn wiped her eyes. "I guess you won Rachel. You got Finn… In a few weeks Sarah Russo will completely destroy whatever reputation I have left. My parents will find out and probably disown me. I'm all alone now…"

Rachel wrapped her arms around Quinn. "You have us Quinn…"

"Why? All I've ever done is treat you guys like shit."

"True…" replied Rachel. In all honesty Quinn was right about that. Still Rachel could only feel sorry for Quinn.

"I'm so sorry Rachel… about everything." Quinn whispered. "I never meant to hurt you all those times… I only hated myself and my lies." Quinn's eyes met Rachel's. "Finn is lucky to have you Rachel… You're so beautiful and talented."

Rachel knew Quinn was sincere with her words. "I'm sorry I'm not interested… I'm sure you'll find someone…"

Quinn shrugged. "It's ok Rach. You and Finn are perfect for each other… I would never come between you."

Rachel gave Quinn a bright smile. "I still want to be friends Quinn."

Quinn smiled back at Rachel. "Really? I'd like that Rachel…"

Rachel gave Quinn another hug. "And I meant everything I said about the New Directions being there for you Quinn. And besides that Santana and Brittany will always be there for you."

Quinn scoffed at Rachel's last remark. "Santana has her own shit to deal with Rach… Besides that she's in love with Brittany…"

Quinn whispered something to herself. Rachel could only make out part of it. "I wish I had told her sooner…" whispered Quinn.

Hating to see her new friend so depressed, Rachel decided to cheer Quinn up. She sat up and took Quinn's hands. "Come on Quinn. Mr. Schuester is taking us all out to see that play."

"I don't know if I want to go…"

Rachel crossed her arms. "If you don't go I won't."

Quinn giggled seeing how determined Rachel was to get her to go out. She quickly got dressed and joined everyone in the lobby.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Although it was still early December, New York was in full Christmas mode. Lights decorated the entire city; a light covering of snow littered the sidewalks. The air was cold even with the mid-afternoon sun shining brightly above.

Even though he wasn't particularly religious, Mr. Schuester loved Christmas as the holiday season made him feel just like a kid again. He loved New York during Christmastime most of all. Will had made plans to make the most of the city's festivities while they were there.

Will took the New Directions to see The Radio City Christmas Show that afternoon. He thought it might give them some ideas for their own holiday production that the school would put on later in the month.

Rachel sat between Finn and Quinn. Santana and Brittany were sitting in the row below with Mr. Schuester and Kurt. Santana turned around and gave Quinn a confused look, motioning her to sit with them. Quinn ignored Santana and stayed in her seat. Rachel could see the hurt in Santana's eyes; she wondered what had happened last night between Quinn and Santana after she went back to her room. She still hadn't had the chance to ask Quinn about that.

Quinn kept her attention on the show the whole time, hoping to forget all about her worries. Rachel didn't pay much attention to the play either. It wasn't due to the fact that she Jewish, she loved Christmas in fact her family made it a point to celebrate both holidays. No, Rachel spent the entire time thinking about Quinn and what she could do to make her feel better about herself.

Rachel didn't really know why she wanted to help Quinn. Quinn was right about Sarah Russo looking to completely destroy her reputation. Rachel knew what that felt like. Rachel couldn't stop thinking about the irony of the whole situation. Life was going so wonderful for her now while Quinn and Santana's lives were in disarray.

Rachel noticed the subtle glances Santana was giving Quinn the whole time. Quinn didn't seem to notice or at least pay any mind. Rachel realized there was more going on there between the two friends than she initially thought.

…

The Christmas show ended around three. Everyone hurried back to the hotel to get ready for the awards dinner that was held each year after the competition. It usually took place the day after and gave the participants a chance to meet and mingle under more relaxed settings and enjoy themselves. This year the awards dinner was being held at an exclusive five star restaurant.

Rachel quickly changed and hurried over to Finn and Kurt's room excited to tell them the plan she devised an hour ago. Finn was inside getting dressed. He held out his tie. "Babe could you give me a hand?"

Rachel grabbed the tie. She found it amusing that most men needed their wives or girlfriends to tie a tie for them. "Finn… I was thinking…"

Finn rolled his eyes. "Uh-oh."

Rachel shot Finn an angry look. Finn smiled innocently. "Relax babe I was just kidding."

Rachel was satisfied with Finn's response. "I was thinking about Quinn."

"Should I pack my bags?" Finn joked.

Rachel gave Finn a light kiss on the lips to reassure him she was all his. "No… I told her I wasn't interested in the offer even though I appreciated it." Rachel finished adjusting Finn's tie. "I just want to help her."

Finn sat down on his bed. "It really means that much to you?"

Rachel sat down next to Finn. "I really feel bad for her… and well I feel bad for Santana and Brittany too. I guess I know what they're going through…"

Finn hugged his girlfriend and kissed her forehead. "That's what I love about you most baby."

"Is it just my compassion you love?" Rachel pouted.

"I love every part of you." Finn replied causing Rachel to smile.

Kurt walked out of the bathroom wearing his dark red blazer. He spun around in front of the couple. "How do I look?"

"Slick man. You're a pimp." Finn teased.

Kurt grinned. "That's what I like to hear." He turned to Rachel. "Care to fill me in on what's been going on with Quinn?"

Rachel nodded and told Finn and Kurt everything that Quinn had told her earlier, making sure they both swore that they wouldn't tell anyone else. Rachel told them that she believed Quinn had feelings for Santana.

Finn and Kurt were both skeptical. "How can you be so sure?"

Rachel interrupted Kurt. "I heard Quinn whisper something under her breath. It sounded like she wished she told Santana sooner."

"Told her what?" asked Kurt.

Rachel shook her head. "I don't know… Still I have to do something."

Finn took in everything that Rachel told him. "So what are we supposed to do?"

Rachel's face lit up. "I have an idea. I'm thinking about fixing Quinn up with Santana."

Kurt raising his hand slightly into the air. "I hate to be a buzzkill here but I don't think that will work. Santana is kind of into Brittany right now."

Rachel still was confident in her plan. "I'm also sure that Santana feels something towards Quinn. She looked like she was going to kill me when she found us in the hallway last night."

Finn still had his doubts. "Santana gives everyone that 'I'm going to kill you' look."

"Santana kept looking back towards Quinn the whole time during the show." Rachel mentioned. "Here's where you two come in. I need you guys to talk to Santana for me. I don't think she'll talk to me at all"

"I'll talk to Santana." Finn volunteered. "Kurt, you should go and talk to Brittany."

Kurt seemed fine with Finn's suggestion. If anything getting involved with Santana's love life could prove hazardous to one's health. "That's fine by me."

"I mean you need to talk to Brittany and find out if she has any feelings for Santana." Finn stated.

Rachel seemed confused by Finn's suggestion. "If Brittany doesn't feel the same way towards Santana then she should just tell her so Santana won't waste an opportunity with Quinn." Finn explained.

Kurt nodded. "That makes perfect sense."

"And I'll talk to Quinn some more." Rachel mentioned. The three friends headed downstairs to join the others.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

The entire restaurant was booked for the awards dinner. Quinn sat with Rachel, Finn, Kurt, and Mr. Schuester while Santana and Brittany were mingling with some other girls at another table.

Rachel took Quinn aside saying she wanted to continue their previous conversation in private. Quinn eager for someone to talk to followed Rachel to a secluded table towards the back of the restaurant.

Finn and Kurt watched as the two girls head towards the back. "I guess that's our cue." Kurt headed over to where Brittany and Santana were sitting. "Care to dance?" he asked the blonde.

Brittany giggled. She thought it was amusing that Kurt of all people would ask her to dance. She readily accepted. Kurt led Brittany to the dance floor where a few other couples were gathered.

Finn approached Santana. The Latina rolled her eyes at him. "Forget it."

Finn gave the girl a confused look. "Huh?"

"I'm not in the mood to dance." Santana stated. _Or at least not with you…_ she wanted to say. Santana looked out towards the dance floor where Brittany and Kurt were, wishing she was the one dancing with Brittany.

Finn ran his fingers through his hair. "It wasn't that. Could we talk somewhere? Outside?"

Curious with what Finn wanted, Santana followed him outside. Finn wanted to find a spot where they could talk in private. He settled for a nearby secluded alleyway.

Finn had no idea what he was going to even say to Santana. He had known her for years as they had grown up together. Even though Finn wanted to distance himself from Sarah Russo's rumors, he still knew the truth about Santana. That Santana Lopez was gay and she was in love with Brittany. Quinn was still a shocker to him though.

It took Finn awhile to figure the truth about Santana as she put on a façade as the all-American cheerleader who liked boys. But Santana pushed away every boy who showed her the least bit of interest in her. Of course she used the excuse that her conservative Hispanic family didn't allow her date.

Finn had also noticed all the stares and glances Santana kept giving Brittany. He noticed the pained expression in Santana's eyes when Brittany seemed oblivious to her advances. Personally Finn had no issue with how Santana lived her life, although it pained him to see her struggling with herself. They were close friends and Finn knew Santana was hurting.

Finn turned around and faced Santana. "It's about Quinn…" Finn realized he had no idea what he was supposed to say to Santana. Should he just tell Santana that he thought Quinn liked her? He wished he planned everything out more before approaching Santana with this.

Santana seemed impatient. "And?"

"Umm… I…" Finn tried to think how he should approach this. "Look I know what Sarah Russo has been saying about you…"

Santana said nothing at the mention of Sarah's name. Her lips were drawn tight. Still her expression said everything.

"I know that… well… I know that you have something for Brittany…" Shit why did he even bring up Brittany's name. This was supposed to be about her and Quinn. Finn groaned. '_I really should have rehearsed this better…'_ he thought to himself.

Santana forced herself to remain completely emotionless to prevent her secret from being exposed. "I don't know what you're even talking about."

"Why are you so scared to admit how you feel about her and accept who you really are?" Finn blurted out.

Santana was just inches from Finn's face. Her expression told Finn he was delving into dangerous territory. "You don't know anything!"

Finn ignored every sane logical thought that told him to drop this conversation. He spoke softly. "Is it really that horrible to admit you're gay and you're in love with Brittany?"

Santana slapped Finn across the face hard. "How dare you!"

Finn tried to remain calm; he didn't expect that Santana would hit him. "I know you're going through a lot right now Santana…"

"You have no fucking idea what I'm going through." Santana sniffed. Finn could see the girl was on the verge of tears. "You have no fucking idea what I have to live with. You don't know what it's like to live in fear that your parents will find out everything. You don't know how much its killing me not to be able to tell Brittany everything. I'm scared! Is this what you want to hear!"

"I…" Finn didn't really know what he could say to Santana now. '_Yeah this is going real good Rach…_'

"You have no fucking idea!" Santana spat as she started to walk away. Without thinking Finn called out to her. "But Quinn does…"

Upon hearing Finn's words Santana stopped in her tracks and turned around. "You bastard!" Finn knew he hit another nerve; the hate and venom in Santana's voice and expression was evident.

Santana almost tripped in her heels as she ran over to him. Without thought she kicked off her shoes and lunged at Finn. Santana swung wildly with closed fists not caring if she hurt Finn.

Finn easily avoided Santana punches. Santana still managed to brush Finn's lip with her ring drawing blood.

Santana the entire time kept repeating the same words to Finn. "You have no fucking idea!"

Finn managed to grab Santana's arms; he made sure he only used enough force to restrain her without accidently hurting her. '_Shit this is going real well Rach… I really can't wait to see what you have planned next._'

"Let me go!" Santana screamed. "You have no idea…" she softly repeated. Santana lowered her head into Finn's chest and broke down in tears.

Finn brought Santana closer to him reassuring her that everything was alright.

…..

Mr. Schuester walked by Rachel and Quinn's table. Never in a million years would he imagine the two of them getting along so well.

"Have you seen Santana or Finn?" asked Will. "You guys are up."

Usually it was a custom for the winners to each perform a song at the awards dinner. Rachel had forgotten all about that. "I'll grab them for you Mr. Schue."

Rachel hurried over to Kurt's table. Kurt was sitting with Brett, the person who had defeated him to win first place in the singles category. (I envisioned David Henrie from WOWP to play Brett)

Kurt told her that Finn and Santana had gone outside to talk. He also mentioned that he had talked to Brittany. Rachel told him to hold that thought while she looked for Finn. Kurt smiled at his new crush Brett. "So where were we?"

Rachel found Finn and Santana sitting on a nearby bench in the back of the restaurant. Rachel immediately knew something was wrong. Between Santana's smeared makeup and Finn's puffy lip, Rachel knew her plan was a complete disaster.

Finn looked up at Rachel. He gave her a glance that told her they would talk later. Rachel nodded. "Mr. Schuester is looking for you guys. We're all supposed to perform tonight."

Santana looked up at Finn. "I don't want Brittany to see me like this… or Quinn."

Rachel glanced over at Finn. "I'll take her through the back…"

Finn nodded. "I'll tell everyone to let Kurt perform first. If I have to I'll even go on first."

Rachel helped Santana to her feet and through the back entrance of the restaurant. She helped her to the bathroom and locked the door behind them making sure no one else was there.

Rachel grabbed some tissues from her purse and handed it to Santana to dry her eyes. Santana tried to speak. "I…" Santana started to cry again.

Rachel grabbed some more tissues and handed them to Santana. Rachel tried to say something, anything that would comfort the other girl. "What happened with you and Finn out there?"

Santana threw the tissues in the trash. "We talked… About Brittany…"

Even though Rachel was hoping to get Santana together with Quinn, she at least found some comfort that Santana could now admit her feelings for Brittany.

Santana looked up at Rachel. "And Quinn. I think I know what you're trying to do for her."

Rachel looked away. "Sorry… I shouldn't have gotten involved in your business."

Santana lightly touched Rachel's arm. "I'm not mad Rachel… If anything I'm grateful for everything you're trying to do for Quinn… and us…"

Rachel felt relieved that Santana wasn't angry with her. "Can I ask you a question Santana?" Santana nodded.

Rachel hopped she wasn't crossing a line here. "Do you have any feelings for Quinn?"

Santana's mind seemed to be elsewhere. Again she nodded. "I gave up when Quinn started dating Finn."

"But Quinn only went out with Finn because…" Rachel immediately put her hands to her mouth realizing she almost revealed Quinn's secret.

"Rachel? What did Quinn say to you?"

Rachel debated whether she should tell Santana about Quinn's secret. "What did she tell you last night?"

"We didn't have a chance to talk about what happened between the two of you. Quinn went right to sleep after you left. And she's been distancing herself from us all day."

Rachel took a deep breath and told Santana everything that Quinn had told her earlier that day. Santana didn't say a word; she was lost in deep thought.

Rachel stood up ready to give Santana some space. "Please don't tell Quinn that I told you Santana."

Santana nodded, ignoring the rest of what Rachel had to say. All she could think about now was Quinn.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Will groaned. "What do you mean Rachel and Santana's aren't ready? Everyone's expecting us to be on in a few minutes."

Finn tried to think of an excuse to why Santana was in no condition to perform. Kurt spoke up. "Santana has food poisoning."

Finn was grateful his friend could think fast on his feet. "Right… Food poisoning… I think the chicken was undercooked. Rachel is checking up on her."

Brittany gave Finn a confused stare. "But I thought Santana had the salmon. Or was it the sirloin?" Finn shot the blonde a look telling her to drop the matter.

Brittany didn't take the hint. "No… it was definitely the salmon."

Will sighed. "Well we'll have to go on without them."

Quinn had an uneasy feeling, her gut told her that something was amiss. She ran to the bathroom ignoring everyone else. She could hear Rachel and Santana's voices inside. She tried to open the door but found it was locked. Quinn put her ear close to the door hoping to listen in on their conversation.

Inside Rachel tried her best to get Santana to open up to her but it was no use, Santana was lost in her own thoughts. Rachel could hear someone at the door. "We'll be right out."

Rachel turned back to Santana. "Please Santana… Don't tell Quinn that I told you…" Santana nodded. Rachel walked towards the door and unlocked it.

Quinn burst through the door. Her eyes met Rachel's before turning to Santana. "What are you two talking about?"

Santana glared at Quinn, the venom in her voice had returned. "Why didn't you tell me Quinn!"

At first Quinn didn't know what Santana was alluding to. "What? Santana what are you…" Quinn began to put everything together. Her face fell, she turned back to Rachel. "You bitch! How could you!"

Quinn's words hit Rachel hard. "Quinn I only wanted to help you…"

Santana gave Quinn an incredulous look. "Don't you dare blame Rachel for this Quinn!"

Quinn ignored Santana and focused all her anger out on Rachel. "I trusted you!"

Rachel lowered her head, allowing the blonde to continue her verbal assault. Even though she thought her intentions were honorable she knew she had betrayed Quinn and broken her trust. Feelings of guilt overcame her.

Santana jumped in between the two girls, her face mere inches apart from Quinn's. "How could you keep this from me!"

Quinn's mouth dropped. "What the hell is your problem Santana!"

"You knew what I've been going through!" Santana shouted. "You kept everything from me! Even when you knew how alone I felt!"

Quinn's mouth dropped. "How dare you! I gave up everything for you!"

Santana rolled her eyes. "Right… Do you know how selfish you sound right now Quinn?"

Quinn got right in Santana's face forcing the Latina to take a step back. Quinn's face was completely red. "You heartless bitch! I left the team for you even though it meant everything to my parents. Even though it meant I wouldn't be the trophy daughter anymore!"

"What?" Santana never got the full story of why Quinn had readily given up her position as captain of the cheerleading team. She assumed it was because Quinn chose the glee club over the Cheerios.

Quinn knew the truth would devastate Santana. Santana kept pressing her. "Quinn what are you even talking about."

"I… I couldn't stand to hear them tear you down behind your back! Sarah had told everyone that she was happy that the dyke was off the Cheerios. That wasn't the worst of it either! Everyone was laughing behind your back…" Quinn confessed.

Santana gripped the edge of the sink to keep her balance. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the edge of the marble tile. She felt as if someone had hit her hard. Her mouth trembled.

Quinn looked into Santana's eyes. "Those words… their laughter… it cut me Santana… You don't know how much I…" Quinn shook her head and started towards the door. "Forget it Santana… I know you'll never love me like you love Brittany." A tear ran down Quinn's face. She stepped back towards the door.

Rachel could see the pain in Santana's eyes. She could see Santana's heart being ripped out the moment Quinn told her about what Sarah Russo had said.

Quinn gripped the doorknob. "Thanks a lot Rachel. I thought we were… that we were actually friends."

Quinn opened the door and found Mr. Schuester standing by the door. It was apparent that he had heard most of the argument. Quinn pushed her way past him.

"What the hell is going on!" Mr. Schuester gave Rachel and Santana a hard look. He saw Santana standing there at the verge of tears. He glanced back at Rachel seeking an explanation.

Santana looked up at Will. "I'm… I'm fine…" She let go of the sink and tried to take a step forward.

Santana fell to her knees. Will and Rachel ran to her side. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" Santana screamed.

Will slowly backed away knowing it would be best to give Santana some space. Santana lowered her head to the floor and cried. Her greatest fears had come true… her secret was out and she was nothing more than the school's outcast. It wouldn't be long before everyone including her whole family found out everything.

Brittany's voice called out. "Santana?"

Brittany and Finn stood by the door as well as a few people who had gathered by the door curious about the commotion. Brittany ran over to Santana and knelt by her side holding her close. Santana cried on her shoulder as Brittany cupped the back of her neck, whispering words of comfort in her ear.

Will turned to the small crowd at the door. "Damn it! Can you give us some privacy!" Another teacher nodded and helped disperse the crowd.

Will motioned for Finn and Rachel to leave as well. Finn walked Rachel out. Will followed them and closed the door behind him leaving Santana and Brittany alone.

…..

Finn sat with Rachel outside on the same bench he and Santana were sitting at earlier. Rachel lay her head on his shoulder. "I made a mess out of everything." She stated as a matter of fact.

Finn couldn't stand to see his girlfriend so despondent. "It's not your fault Rach…"

"You don't have to lie for me…"

Finn kissed Rachel's forehead. "All of this would have come to a head eventually even if you hadn't gotten involved. Quinn and Santana have a lot to work out."

Rachel looked away. "That doesn't make me feel any better Finn."

Kurt and Brett joined the couple. Rachel hoped that Kurt had some news about Quinn or Santana.

Kurt shook his head. Rachel sighed. "It's been almost an hour."

Kurt sat down besides Rachel and put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. Rachel figured that she might as well ask him about Brittany.

"I hinted that Santana liked her..." Kurt explained. "Well really I had to tell her outright… Subtlety isn't Brittany's strong suit."

Kurt's quip forced a slight smile on Rachel's face. "So how did Brittany respond?"

Kurt thought back to their conversation. "She seemed flattered… and confused… She told me that she thought Santana liked Quinn all this time. She never thought that Santana actually had feelings for her."

Finn grew impatient. "So is Brittany interested in Santana?"

Kurt shrugged. "She's open to it… I'm not sure if she's interested in being in a long-term relationship with Santana. She told me she thought about it but I don't think she has the same feelings that Quinn has for Santana."

Kurt looked around the parking lot. "Where is Quinn anyways? She wasn't in the restaurant."

Finn had a concerned look on his face. "I thought she was inside. We haven't seen her out here at all."

Brett pointed across the street. "Your friend might be in the park if she wanted to be alone."

"That's a good of place as any to start looking. It's definitely not safe to be walking alone in the park at night." Finn mentioned.

A voice rang out. "There's Yentl the Lesbian Matchmaker. We've been looking all over for you." It was Santana's voice; it was apparent that she was back to her old self.

Everyone turned around to find Santana and Brittany walking towards them hand in hand. Rachel ran over to meet the couple. "Santana I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be." Santana hugged Rachel. "Thank you…"

Rachel seemed confused. "For what?"

"For helping me realize who I really am." Santana replied.

Rachel noticed Santana slip her hand back into Brittany's hand. "So you two are…"

Santana smiled and held Brittany's hand close to her. "We have a lot of things to discuss and figure out when we get back home… We'll need to figure them out with Quinn. Have you've seen her?"

Rachel shook her head. "We were going to look for her in the park."

Santana grew worried for Quinn's safety. "I'll go with you." Santana smiled at Brittany. "Let's go get our girl."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Finn, Rachel, Santana, Brittany, Kurt, and Brett ran over to the park. The park was empty save for a few joggers and vendors. The group approached a pretzel vendor who was closing down for the day.

"Excuse me did you see a girl run by maybe thirty minutes ago. She was wearing a blue dress. Blonde hair." asked Finn.

The middle aged man thought to himself. "I think so… yeah… she went that way I think. Girl had to be nuts to be out without a jacket on."

Santana glared at the vendor. "Watch what you say about my girl asswipe before I twist your nuts like one of those pretzels." The man's mouth dropped.

"She's just kidding." Finn assured the man. "Thanks."

The group started off through the park calling out Quinn's name. Finn had an idea, he turned to the others. "We can cover more ground if we split up."

Everyone seemed to be in agreement. Finn decided to name groups. "Ok Rachel and I will go that way."

"Brittany should go with you guys." Santana suggested. She glanced at Rachel. "I don't know if Quinn's still mad at you Rach." Before Rachel could respond, Finn agreed with Santana's suggestion.

Santana pointed to the pond several yards away. "I'll check that area out."

"Brett and Kurt should go with you Santana." Finn stated.

Brett spoke up. "Yeah it's not safe for a defenseless girl to walk all alone in the park without a big strong man to accompany them."

"I guess Finn should accompany you and Kurt then." Santana snickered.

Kurt pleaded with Brett not to let Santana get to him. "Brett and I can check over there."

Finn nodded. "Alright we'll meet back here in fifteen minutes."

…..

Quinn sat on the bench near the pond. Her whole body shivered, she wrapped her arms around herself in a desperate attempt to stay warm. She wished she had brought her jacket with her, she had left it back at the restaurant. She was too upset to remember it; all she could think about was finding somewhere where she could be all alone.

A man in his early thirties in a black leather jacket walked past Quinn. "Hey what are you doing out here in the cold?"

The last thing Quinn wanted was to be bothered, she looked up at the man. "I'm fine. Thank you."

The man ignored Quinn's polite attempt to shoo him away. He leaned over the bench. "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be all alone out here. You're not from around here are you?"

Quinn kept her eyes on the ground. "Lima… I'm from Lima."

"Where the fuck is that?" The man asked.

"Ohio…" Quinn prayed that the man would just leave her alone.

The man sat down on the bench and held out his hand. "The name's Tom. My friends call me Tommy. New York born and raised."

Quinn ignored the man's friendly gesture. Tom reached over and touched Quinn's arm. "You're freezing. You should come over to my place." Quinn tried to ignore the older man, she knew that New York was nothing like Lima but she never thought the city could be as dangerous as it was portrayed in the movies.

"Quinn!" Santana ran over to the bench. Sensing a potentially dangerous situation, Santana avoided making eye contact with the stranger. She grabbed Quinn's arm. "Come on we're going back to the restaurant."

Even though Tom made her uneasy, Quinn was more upset with Santana at the moment. "Leave me alone Santana!"

Santana tried to plead with Quinn. "Please Quinn, let's just go back."

Tom glanced over at Santana. "You heard the lady. So why don't you fuck off!"

Santana knew the man was dangerous. "I don't see where this is any of your business." she calmly stated.

"Well how about I make it my business." Tom replied.

Santana's blood began to boil. Still she knew better than to start a fight with the much larger man. She kept her attention on Quinn. Quinn was the only reason she was here. "Please baby. Don't be mad at me." Santana tried to help Quinn to her feet.

Tom stood up. "Hey you got shit in your ears? I said she's staying here."

Without warning Santana jumped in front of Tom and got up in his face. "BITCH I WILL GO LIMA HEIGHTS ADJACENT ON YOUR ASS! MY LIFE IS SHIT RIGHT NOW AND I JUST DON'T GIVE A FUCK ANYMORE!" Santana started cursing at the man in Spanish.

Finn, Rachel and Brittany could hear Santana's shouting in the distance. Knowing Santana was in trouble, Finn told Rachel and Brittany to find Kurt and Brett. He started running in the direction where Santana's shouting came from.

Tom was amused by Santana's tough exterior. "Looks like we've got a senorita here. How about you put that mouth to use and suck on my fat Irish cock." Santana responded by slapping Tom across his face.

Tom struck Santana with a shot to the stomach which forced her to her knees. "Bitch!"

Santana clutched her side scrambling to get to her feet. She knew this time that she had bitten off more than she could handle. Tom clenched his fists.

Without thinking Quinn jumped on Tom's back. She scratched the side of his face. Tom threw Quinn to the ground. He felt the side of his face where Quinn had scratched him and noticed blood. Enraged he kicked Quinn in the ribs for good measure forcing her to cry out in pain.

Finn arrived just as Tom kicked Quinn. Without hesitation Finn sprinted towards Tom and tackled him to the ground. Finn threw several punches that connected against Tom's jaw. One of the blows had knocked the man unconscious. Finn felt a throbbing pain shoot through his hand. He stood up and clutched his hand.

Meanwhile Will had noticed his students were missing and went out to find them. He had found Kurt and Brett in the park looking for Quinn. The three soon met up with Rachel and Brittany who said Santana was in trouble. The two girls led them to where Finn had run off to. Rachel called out to Finn.

"I'm over here!" Finn responded.

The group found Finn, Quinn and Santana nearby. Finn was still clutching his hand while Santana held Quinn close to her.

Brittany ran over to Quinn and Santana while Rachel and Will checked on Finn. Finn held up his hand. "I think I broke my hand hitting that asshole over there."

Will examined Finn's hand. "I think you just dislocated a knuckle Finn. We'll have to put some ice on that later."

Finn nodded. "You better check on Quinn and Santana. That asshole attacked them."

Santana and Brittany had helped Quinn to her feet and over to the bench. Santana sat beside her and let Quinn rest her head on her shoulder. Will knelt in front of the two girls. He examined Quinn first. Even though he wasn't a doctor he was certain that nothing was broken. Other than some light bruises and having the wind knocked out of her Quinn seemed fine.

Will checked on Santana. Santana clenched her teeth. "It hurts to breathe…"

"You have a nice bruise there but I don't think either of you will have to go to the hospital." Will responded.

Tom started to wake up. He shouted at Finn, "You fucker! You broke my fucking jaw!" Tom reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a knife.

Enraged Will ran over and kicked the knife out of Tom's hand. He grabbed the man by his shirt collar, forcing him to his feet. "I swear to God if you come near any of my students again I'll kill you!" Will roared.

Tom saw how serious Will was. He accepted defeat and swore to leave the group alone. Will let the man go and watched him run off in the other direction. He grabbed the knife and threw it in a nearby trash barrel.

Santana shouted at Tom as he ran away. "That's how we do it in Lima Heights Ohio Puta!"

Will turned around and faced his students. "Now can someone tell me what's been going on?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

Mr. Schue handed Quinn his jacket and helped her put it on. He thought about taking her back inside to get cleaned up but he knew that everything had to be addressed out in the open first.

Will looked over at Kurt. "Could you go back and tell everyone that everything's fine here Kurt…"

Will watched Kurt and Brett head back hand in hand before turning to Rachel and Finn. He knew Rachel was behind everything that was going on between Quinn and Santana. "Ok you two… spill it."

"It's all my fault Mr. Schuester." Rachel began to explain to everyone her motives and how she wanted to set Quinn up with Santana.

Quinn sat silently taking in Rachel's every word. She didn't know whether to feel betrayed or grateful for what Rachel was trying to do for her. Santana had her arms wrapped around Quinn desperately trying to keep the blonde warm. Quinn didn't want to fall any harder for Santana even though she felt safe and comfortable in her arms. Santana leaned her head on Quinn's shoulder which made Quinn melt in her hands.

Rachel turned to Quinn. "I'm so sorry Quinn… I didn't mean to hurt you or anything. I still want to be your friend." Quinn didn't know how to respond, she kept her eyes on the ground.

"I found that guy attacking Quinn and Santana." Finn added. "I managed to tackle him to the ground."

"That was both brave and incredibly stupid Finn." Mr. Schue stated. "You were lucky he didn't pull a gun on you."

Santana cupped Quinn's chin with her hand forcing Quinn's eyes to meet her own. "What were you even thinking coming out here alone? Forget what Finn did. Do you know how incredibly stupid you were!" Santana's voice was filled with a mixture of anger and concern for Quinn.

Quinn was speechless, feelings of guilt swept through her. She turned away.

"That asshole could have hurt you… or…" Santana didn't even want to say the words that Quinn could have been raped or even killed.

Quinn's hands shook, her barriers were beginning to crumble. All she could do was shrug.

Santana grew disgusted with Quinn's lack of concern for her own well being. "How can you be so selfish Quinn? Don't you even care about me or Brittany? What would I… what would we do without you?"

Quinn sprung up from her seat. "Leave me alone Santana! Just leave me alone! I never asked you to care!"

Santana's mouth trembled. For the second time that night her heart was being ripped right out, this time by Quinn herself. She held her knees close to her chest. "You… cold-hearted… bitch!"

Brittany stomped her foot. "I hate it when you guys fight." There was a look of hurt on her face. "You're just like Lord Tubbington and Sir Garfield."

"Who's Sir Garfield?" asked Rachel.

"That's what Brittany calls her neighbor's dog." Santana replied. She noticed Brittany walking away. "Brittany, where are you going?"

"I'm going back to the restaurant." Brittany replied. "I'm not talking to you guys anymore until you and Quinn stop fighting."

"Umm Brittany… the restaurant is in the other direction." Will stated.

Brittany turned around. "Oh… Well I'm still not talking to Santana or Quinn until they promise to stop fighting."

All Santana could do was shake her head. "You're still going the wrong way Brit."

"We better go with Brittany so doesn't wind up in New Jersey." Finn joked. In all seriousness he knew they should all give Quinn and Santana some privacy to work things out between them.

"Don't be silly Finn." Brittany frowned. "Besides I can't swim all the way to France."

Everyone glanced over at Brittany. "What?"

"New Jersey is right by France." Brittany replied.

Will shook his head. "That's the Bailiwick of Jersey you're thinking of… New Jersey is a state."

"Like Canada and Mexico?" There was an innocence to the girl's voice.

Will rubbed his temple with his fingers trying to remain patient with the tall blonde. "Could you just take Brittany back to the restaurant?" he grumbled at Finn and Rachel.

Finn nodded. "Come on Rach… Brittany." Finn, Rachel, and Brittany headed back to the restaurant leaving Mr. Schue, Santana and Quinn alone in the park.

"I'll be right over by that light post over there." Will mentioned to the two girls. He didn't feel comfortable leaving them completely alone after what had just happened.

Quinn and Santana sat on the bench for what felt like an eternity before they both whispered in unison. "I'm sorry." The two girls giggled realizing how equally stubborn and alike they were.

There was another uncomfortable moment of silence before Santana spoke. "Brittany told me that it was true… why you left the Cheerios…" Santana uncharacteristically added, "Thank you…"

Quinn was almost shocked by Santana's words; it was unlike her to show her appreciation. "For what? You would have done the exact same thing for me Santana."

Santana nodded and smiled knowing deep down that Quinn was right. "Still… thank you. It means so much to me that you did this…"

"So what now? I mean where do we go from here?" Quinn asked.

Santana looked up at the stars above. "I… I don't know… I really don't know where we all go from here… I still have feelings for Brittany but…"

Quinn spoke softly. "I understand… I wouldn't want to get between you."

"Let me finish…" Santana took a deep breath and continued. "I talked with Brittany… I'm not sure we'll ever have anything more than a brief fling. We're too different… and in completely different places right now."

Santana reflected on Brittany and their conversation from earlier. As much as she loved Brittany as a friend Santana knew anything she and Brittany would have would be completely physical and short term. Brittany was too much of a free spirit and could never give Santana the emotional support she would need.

Santana realized that she could have so much more with Quinn. They had more in common with each other than Santana and Brittany did. Both came from conservative families that would never fully accept who they truly were. Both girls had tough exteriors, Santana boasted how she came from a rough neighborhood even though her family was one of the wealthiest families in Lima while Quinn played the school's alpha cheerleader role perfectly for over two years.

But Quinn and Santana also had another side to them that few outside their families and the New Directions knew about. Both girls were loyal to the people they cared the most about and showed a kindness that rivaled Rachel's. When they found someone who didn't care about the school's social hierarchy they could let that person in and show them their true qualities.

Santana also knew that Quinn was as scared and felt as lost as she did. Still that wouldn't make forgetting about Brittany any easier for Santana.

Quinn's heart began to race. "So does this mean…"

Santana held on to Quinn's hand. "It means we have a lot to work out… I can't make any promises but I can see us developing something more."

Quinn smiled; for the first time in years she was truly happy and content. Santana smiled back as she gazed into Quinn's hazel eyes for a moment. Quinn stood up and gently dragged Santana off the bench. "We can work it out later. Come on Santana we're in New York of all places. Let's enjoy ourselves for the rest of the weekend!" Santana took Quinn's hand and ran back to the restaurant with her.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I probably have four chapters at most left. As always I hunger for reviews.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

Will, Quinn and Santana headed back to the restaurant. Kurt was on stage performing _I Have Nothing_. Everyone's eyes were solely on Kurt to which both Quinn and Santana were grateful for. Santana wondered if people were already talking about them and what had happened earlier. Mr. Schue talked with some of the other teachers assuring them that everything was alright now.

Minutes later Kurt finished his solo. "So I guess we're on next." Quinn mentioned nervously.

Santana lightly squeezed Quinn's hand. "You can do it Quinn. For me…" Santana's expression almost pleaded with Quinn. _'I need you by my side Quinn… please… don't let me be alone.'_

"You don't have to go on if you're not up to it Quinn." Mr. Schue assured the girl. Santana shot Will an angry glance not realizing that Mr. Schue was only concerned for Quinn.

Quinn shook her head. "No, I'm fine Mr. Schue." Quinn followed Santana, Brittany, Finn, and Brett on stage.

One of the judges introduced the group to the audience. Finn glanced at his friends. "Ready?" Finn noticed that Santana seemed to be lost. "Santana?"

"Hold up!" Santana took a step forward with her microphone. "I have something I need to say first…"

Everyone gave Santana their attention. Santana's hands began to tremble. She glanced at both Quinn and Brittany before turning back to the audience. Both girls wondered what Santana was going to say to the crowd.

Santana closed her eyes. "For a long time I've been lying to myself and to everyone else… At first I thought this was all a phase… that it would eventually go away… but I've only been kidding myself. I'm finally comfortable to tell everyone that… I am gay."

Santana kept her eyes closed; the entire room was quiet to the point she could hear a pin drop. Santana couldn't take it anymore; she was desperate for any response just to break the overwhelming silence. Quinn ran to Santana's side and held her not caring if she would be outted as well.

"I'm so proud of you baby." Quinn whispered to Santana.

Instead Rachel and Mr. Schue stood up and began clapping giving the two girls their support. The rest of the audience joined in letting Santana and Quinn know that they weren't alone. Tears fell from Santana's eyes; she was happy that there were people who would accept her for who she was.

Finn hugged both girls and handed Santana some tissues. "I'm proud of both of you… Are you guys alright to go on?"

Santana wiped her eyes and nodded. The two girls took their places on stage. The backup band began to play in the background.

**Quinn**

_"Cherish is the word I use to describe All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside"_

**Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Finn, & Brett**

_"You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told you You don't know how many times I've wished that I could hold you You don't know how many times I've wished that I could Mold you into someone who could"_

**Santana **(smiling at Quinn)

___"Cherish me as much as I cherish you"_

**Brett **(winking at Kurt who was sitting in the front row)

___"Perish is the word that more than applies To the hope in my heart each time I realize"_

**Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Finn, & Brett**

_____"That I am not gonna be the one to share your dreams That I am not gonna be the one to share your schemes That I am not gonna be the one to share what Seems to be the life that you could"_

**Quinn **(holding on to Santana's hand)

_______"Cherish as much as I do yours"_

**Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Finn, & Brett**

_____"Oh I'm beginning to think that man has never found The words that could make you want me That have the right amount of letters, just the right sound That could make you hear, make you see That you are drivin' me out of my mind"_

_____"Oh I could say I need you but then you'd realize That I want you just like a thousand other guys Who'd say they loved you With all the rest of their lies When all they wanted was to touch your face, your hands And gaze into your eyes"_

_____"Cherish is the word I use to describe All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told you You don't know how many times I've wished that I could hold you You don't know how many times I've wished that I could Mold you into someone who could Cherish me as much as I cherish you"_

**Quinn & Santana **(still holding hands)

_____"And I do... cherish you And I do... cherish you"_

_____"Cherish is the word"_

(A/N: I do not own the song Cherish performed by the Association; I decided to use the full song rather than add the Madonna part that was used during the Valentine's Day episode)

Everyone stood up and gave the group a loud applause. Quinn tightly hugged Santana as Santana brought Brittany close to them.

…

Hours later back at the hotel…

Everyone was gathered in Rachel and Brittany's room celebrating. Not only did all of their performances go well, the head of the New York Institute of Performance and Arts who was one of the judges at the competition had offered the New Directions full scholarships to attend the University after graduation.

The group talked the rest of the night. Quinn and Santana sat on Rachel's bed flirting the whole time. No one paid any attention to the pair's heavy PDA. Kurt spent the night getting to know Brett better while Finn and Rachel were engaged in their own devotion to each other.

Brittany spun around the room before falling back on her bed. "I'm so happy." she announced to everyone. Santana smiled at the tall blonde.

Finn glanced at his watch. "I guess we should call it a night."

"This early? You Ohio-ites are no fun." Brett pouted.

Finn stood up and stretched. "It's not that. Mr. Schue wanted to take us all out tomorrow to tour the city."

"You can come with us." Kurt mentioned to Brett. Brett readily accepted Kurt's invitation.

The three boys headed to the door. Finn noticed Quinn and Santana lying on Rachel's bed. Santana was lying on her side against Quinn. The two girls were still in their dresses; their shoes were kicked off to the side.

"You aren't heading in?" Finn asked Santana.

Quinn stroked Santana's hand. "I just want to stay here tonight."

Santana lightly nudged Quinn. "This is Rachel's bed Q."

Quinn smiled. "Brittany can share with us, and Rachel can take her bed..." Quinn turned around and noticed that Brittany was already asleep. "Never mind…" she giggled.

"It's fine Santana. I can sleep on the couch." Rachel offered. "Besides I'm too excited to get any sleep."

"We'll see you tomorrow." Finn closed the door behind him.

Rachel grabbed a blanket and a pillow off her bed. She glimpsed at the happy couple lying on the bed. "I'm so happy for you Quinn… and of course you too Santana."

Santana seemed despondent as if a dark cloud had entered her mind to rain on her newfound happiness. "It was easy to come out to strangers but…"

Everyone knew what Santana meant. When they got back home Quinn and Santana would have even more obstacles to face at school and with their families.

"I know…" Quinn responded.

Rachel sat on the couch. "I still meant what I said about us being there for you guys."

Quinn gave Rachel a warm smile. "Thank you Rachel… for everything. I'm glad we're friends."

Rachel smiled back before turning off the light. "Good night."

Both girls replied in unison. "Night Rach."

Quinn held Santana close to her the entire night. Santana's worries soon vanished as she entered a deep peaceful sleep.


End file.
